2020 Elazığ earthquake
| local-time = 20:55 TRT (UTC+3:00) | image = | image alt = | map2 = | depth = 11.9 km | location = | magnitude = 6.7 Mw | type = Strike-slip | fault = East Anatolian Fault | duration = 40 seconds | intensity = [[Modified Mercalli intensity scale|VIII (Severe)]] | countries affected = Turkey | casualties = At least 29 people died and 1243 people injured |image1 = Turkey relief location map.jpg}} The 2020 Elazığ earthquake occurred at 20:55 local time (17:55 UTC) on Friday, 24 January. The magnitude of the earthquake was determined to be 6.7 Mw. The earthquake's epicenter was close to the town of Sivrice in Elazığ province and felt in the neighboring provinces of Diyarbakır, Malatya and Adıyaman, and the neighbouring countries of Armenia, Syria and Iran. Kandilli Observatory reported the magnitude of the earthquake as 6.5 Mw. At least 29 people were killed and more than a thousand were injured. Tectonic setting Most of Turkey sits on the Anatolian Plate, which is being forced westwards by the collision between the Arabian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. This westward movement is accommodated by two large strike-slip fault zones, the west-east trending right lateral North Anatolian Fault in the north of the country and the SW-NE trending left lateral East Anatolian Fault towards the south-east. Movement on these two faults has been responsible for many large and damaging earthquakes historically. The most recent major earthquakes on the East Anatolian Fault were the 2003 Bingöl earthquake and the 2010 Elâzığ earthquake. Earthquake , featuring the East Anatolian Fault.]] The earthquake had a magnitude of 6.7 Mw and a depth of according to ANSS and 6.5 Mw and a depth of according to the Kandilli Observatory. The duration of the earthquake was reported as 40 seconds. The observed focal mechanism and the epicentral location are consistent with the earthquake being caused by movement on the East Anatolian Fault. Around 390 aftershocks were detected following the earthquake. The largest in the first 24 hours after the mainshock was a 5.1 Mw event at 16:30 UTC on 25 January. The disaster agency added that the aftershocks had reached 398, the strongest of them with magnitudes 5.4 and 5.1, according to VOA. The earthquake's epicentre was close to the town of Sivrice, east of the Turkish capital Ankara. The town has 4,000 inhabitants, lying within an overall thinly populated region, and is adjacent to Lake Hazar. Damage At least 10 buildings collapsed in parts of Elazığ and Malatya provinces, trapping people inside. A total of 22 people were reported to have been killed, with 18 in Elazığ and a further 4 in Malatya. At least 1,243 people were reported to be injured, mostly within Elaziğ province. 39 people were rescued from collapsed buildings. The earthquake interrupted a live broadcast of the local Edessa television channel. Dozens of wounded casualties were reported in the adjacent provinces of Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş, Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa and Batman. A prison in Adiyaman was damaged during the earthquake and subsequently evacuated. On 25 January, officials stated that more than 20 people are still trapped, with the number of people rescued reaching 42 so far, according to the BBC. An elderly woman was rescued after being trapped for 19 hours under the rubble. Thousands were temporarily housed in schools and sport centres across the region. According to the Guardian, hundreds of people waited greatly concerned behind police barriers, with the hope of finding their missing relatives. The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Authority deployed 400 search and rescue teams to the affected regions alongside relief supplies, totalling 3,699 personnel. The Turkish Red Crescent also mobilized hundreds of its personnel with emergency supplies to the region. Turkish Airlines announced additional flights to Elazığ from Ankara and Istanbul to assist in transporting aid workers. Turkey’s military are also at the ready to assist, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu stated. Telecom companies in the affected regions announced free access to internet and telephone services for residents. Rescue workers and survivors had to cope with night time temperatures dropping to -8 Celsius (17.6 Fahrenheit). Turkish president Recep Erdoğan cancelled a scheduled attendance at the Foreign Economic Relations Board and visited the region on 25 January 2019 where he attended the funerals of a mother and son who died in the earthquake. After the funeral, Erdoğan was said to have visited hospitals where the victims of the quake were admitted, as well as locations of collapsed buildings. President Erdoğan stated earlier on Saturday, that the ministers of Interior, health and environment have been sent to areas affected by the quake, according to CNN. Reaction * : Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, during a phone call with the Turkish Foreign Minister, expressed Pakistan’s willingness to assist Turkey in the rescue operation in areas affected by the earthquake. See also * List of earthquakes in Turkey * List of earthquakes in 2020 References External links *